Some brillant farmer thought it would be cute to have a few baby goats around for the grandkids. So we borrowed a Billy Goat last fall from the Loan-a-Stud-Program run by our niece's husband Jeremy in Watseka. Baby goats were produced. A couple of weeks ago one very tiny "kid" as baby goats are called, fell into my makeshift duck pond, an old water tank buried in the ground. The tank was filled with smelly green water. I pulled him out, chastised him about swimming without a life preserver and the frieky little thing jumped right back into the water. A lame suicide attempt since I was standing right next to him. I pulled his slimy self out AGAIN, then covered the tank with an old wooden door.
Problem solved. Until mama goat decided this baby did not smell like her other two babies and turned her back, and udder, away from him. We thought she would get over it but she did not and baby started to decline sooooo out came the pop bottle with the feeding nipple and baby goat was fed by Keith or I.
This is always very cute and fun for about 3 feedings and then the kid decides YOU are mama and begins to follow you every where. The following part is not so bad except they have a tendency to eat every living thing they see when out of their pens. Your garden, your flower beds,your new Ford Transit Wagon, you name it a baby goat will put it in its mouth.
Some days I can toss him back into his pen (oh yes, very gently, like a feather on a gentle breeze) and then RUN AWAY where he cannot see me. He'll get distracted by the other kids in that area and forget about me. But a couple of days ago he snuck through the fence and very quietly followed me right into the kitchen. Pictures were taken before the offending goat was handcuffed and led away.
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